I would personally recommend looking at websites like
www.sharmusic.com or
www.swstrings.com. These are companies dedicated to stringed instruments and offer the best packages for incredibly cheap. A beginner could play on a $100 instrument with a $25 bow and that will be all you need for a good long while. To start, try to find a bow made of brazilwood or pernambuco(this is a more refined version of brazilwood and much more expensive) and make sure it has real horsehair on it, not synthetic. The violin should have a spruce top with maple sides and back, and an ebony fingerboard (not ebonized!). There will almost definitely be fine tuners in the tailpiece (little knobs to help tune) but if there is only one, that's ok (It should be on the highest pitched, thinnest string). Check to make sure that underneath the bridge (which should be straight and unwarped) there is a soundpost that is "wedged" between the top and bottom of the violin. Look through the f-hole to make sure it is there; if not, the violin could implode under the string pressure. Make sure the tuning pegs turn easily, with a minimum of sticking or slipping. This ensures they are properly fitted. If the violin matches these criteria, you'll be more than good to go, and don't worry about how it sounds just yet.